Adding live rock to an existing tank- Q

chicagophil · 12/26/2008, 10:41 AM

So i have a 24Gallon Nano and want to Bump up the LR amount in the tank. I am going to be adding some Gobbies, blennies and a 6 Line Wrassie to the tank.

So adding some LR means a re-aquascaping.

I am thinking about drilling some nice sized Tubes through the LR for my inhabinants. Thoughts-?

The LR that i am going to use if from a LFS and sits in a Giant Tank with alot of flow. - Will it still cycle in my tank?

Do i need to do anything special with the LR?

jon99 · 12/26/2008, 11:05 AM

It depends a lot on how long the rock has been at the store. If they just got it in it will most likely create a small cylce no matter what you do. If it has been there for weeks it probably already has cycled and you can minimize the one in your tank. One thing I would suggest you do to minimize the cycle (if there will be one) is treat it just like a coral or fish. Bring a bucket to the store when you pick it up and keep it submerged in water on the way home. Try to do this on a warmer day (Chicago, haha, yeah right) and do it as fast as you can, without getting speeding tickets ofcourse. You can even drip acclimate it once you get it home, the whole nine yards to make the transition from one tank to the other as undisruptive as possible. Again this will all be in vain if the rock just flew in from Fiji wraped in newspaper 2 days prior. Maybe you can pay for the rock in advance and have them hold it for you in their tank for a few weeks so you can make sure it's cured. That or set up some trashcans and do it yourself! Good luck

Jeff · 12/26/2008, 11:10 AM

You can wrap the rock in soaked paper towels or newspapers to keep the die-off down and minimize the cycle.

cczarnik · 12/26/2008, 11:19 AM

Depending on the type of rock, drilling might not work. Some of the rock I've worked with is quite soft- just crumbles and breaks apart. Other as hard a concrete- ymmv. If you want rock with tunnels / etc., be selective in the new pc's you buy and see if you can get the effect without chiselwork.

As far as the cycle q, if fully cycled at the LFS, you prob won't have to worry much (just keep it moist). But be in the habit of testing for a cycle for a week or so after you add rock (or other things that substantially change the bioload, such as fish).

12/26/2008, 10:41 AM	#1
chicagophil Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Chicago-NW side- Jefferson Park Posts: 680	Adding live rock to an existing tank- Q So i have a 24Gallon Nano and want to Bump up the LR amount in the tank. I am going to be adding some Gobbies, blennies and a 6 Line Wrassie to the tank. So adding some LR means a re-aquascaping. I am thinking about drilling some nice sized Tubes through the LR for my inhabinants. Thoughts-? The LR that i am going to use if from a LFS and sits in a Giant Tank with alot of flow. - Will it still cycle in my tank? Do i need to do anything special with the LR?

12/26/2008, 11:05 AM	#2
jon99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Atl Ga Posts: 817	It depends a lot on how long the rock has been at the store. If they just got it in it will most likely create a small cylce no matter what you do. If it has been there for weeks it probably already has cycled and you can minimize the one in your tank. One thing I would suggest you do to minimize the cycle (if there will be one) is treat it just like a coral or fish. Bring a bucket to the store when you pick it up and keep it submerged in water on the way home. Try to do this on a warmer day (Chicago, haha, yeah right) and do it as fast as you can, without getting speeding tickets ofcourse. You can even drip acclimate it once you get it home, the whole nine yards to make the transition from one tank to the other as undisruptive as possible. Again this will all be in vain if the rock just flew in from Fiji wraped in newspaper 2 days prior. Maybe you can pay for the rock in advance and have them hold it for you in their tank for a few weeks so you can make sure it's cured. That or set up some trashcans and do it yourself! Good luck __________________ Current tank: 210 gallon mixed reef 2x250w radium, 1x400w radium, 2x vortech mp40, 2 seaswirls. 40 gallon frag tank 250w radium, vortech mp10, seaswirl. 55 gallon sump w/ remote DSB, turf scrubber, SR Current Tank Info: 210 in the works

12/26/2008, 11:10 AM	#3
Jeff Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 11,907	You can wrap the rock in soaked paper towels or newspapers to keep the die-off down and minimize the cycle. __________________ Always remember.... any time you reef, you also reef with every reefer that reefer has reefed with. Mitch 2/18/10 IWNFT343F Current Tank Info: Innovative Marine 20

12/26/2008, 11:19 AM	#4
cczarnik Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Franklin, TN Posts: 433	Depending on the type of rock, drilling might not work. Some of the rock I've worked with is quite soft- just crumbles and breaks apart. Other as hard a concrete- ymmv. If you want rock with tunnels / etc., be selective in the new pc's you buy and see if you can get the effect without chiselwork. As far as the cycle q, if fully cycled at the LFS, you prob won't have to worry much (just keep it moist). But be in the habit of testing for a cycle for a week or so after you add rock (or other things that substantially change the bioload, such as fish).